Meet Adam M. Thompson | The American Artist aka AbstractMiami.

We had the good fortune of connecting with Adam M. Thompson and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Adam M., what habits do you feel play an important role in your life?
Trusting myself is easily the most important factor in my successes thus far. When it comes to art, I say take pretty much any advice with a grain of salt. Almost no artists are actually successful and what worked for one artist rarely applies to another. The modern art world is filled with pitfalls that are easily avoided if you listen to your heart and trust your eyes.

It goes without saying it takes hard work, but it also requires listening to what’s going on around you. Ignoring popular trends and focusing on my own style has been crucial. I’ve put a lot of effort into figuring out where I’m wanted and focusing my talents there — failing to do so is a mistake I see most rookie artists making.

Quality, beauty, and timelessness are the most important features of good art — that’s what I’m going for with my work. I seek out clients with good tastes, not politically correct ones. My work and my life are more fun that way.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
We are watching the world fall apart before our very eyes. It’s hard putting on a happy face, but as an artist it’s one route I have chosen to pursue for many years. This is changing quickly and if you follow my work over the coming months, you’ll see the culmination of an ethos I am forming around a new series.

I have dedicated countless hours to improving my techniques. I try new materials constantly and take pleasure in all the new technological advances in the paint and tools, which are now easily available to people like me. However, nothing moves me like the events of the world around me. Even my most jovial work, including the flamingoes, contains deeper messages about the persistence of hope and beauty. I encourage everyone to look with your eyes and not believe what you are being told to see. The aesthetic work I produce is meant to be enjoyed over time in spite of the chaos around us — the headier stuff I meant to push us to make the world better by listening to the truth.

Artist are meant to be the leaders of the counterculture, fighting the institutions, taking a stand. For too long now I’ve seen so many artists become society’s bootlickers. It’s not so easy to speak your mind. I never back down from a fight — my supporters see that, and they’re here for it. I promise my clients that while my styles change over the years, the presence of myself as an artist and a human never waivers. This has been my greatest challenge in my career, especially in recent years as the world has become so divided. I seek to unify through my work.

Last year was the hardest year of my life. In the span of three months, I lost my father (Robert), my best friend (Brandon), my uncle (Sol), and another close friend (Leyla). I went into a dark place for a while but felt motivated by faith and my remaining friends and family, who stood by me and pushed me through the hard times. I thank G-d for every day I have to try and make a difference and refuse to take anything for granted.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’m biased but I’d tell them to come for not just Art Basel, but the entire week before and after it. There is so much art to see, so much inspiration to be had, and so many great people to meet.

Other than that, my favorite thing in Miami is the Love Burn, Miami’s regional Burning Man event on Virginia Key.

My favorite restaurants are Wabi Sabi, Le Jardinier, Big Pink, Chalan on the Beach, Pita Loca, and, obviously, Joe’s Stone Crabs.

My go to hangout spot when I have time is the Corner, which has been my favorite place in Miami other than The Electric Pickle (RIP) since it opened. Lately I’ve been going to Sweet Liberty on Miami Beach and that’s a great spot to take a tourist. Syndicate is where I meet the best people. Space is always Space — so many fun faces there and incredible music. Recently went to Jolene and their sound system is out of this world.

No trip is complete without a visit to Little Havana.

The Bass Museum in South Beach has become my favorite art museum in South Florida. The curation there is phenomenal and I love the risks they take on some truly quirky art.

I tell everyone living here if they haven’t been, they need to go to Key West — it’s a magical place where nothing serious is ever happening.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I want to dedicate this shoutout to my amazing clients and friends who have pushed me forward in this never ending quest for improvement of the world around me. You’ve supported me through this slow descent into madness and it means more than you know. To the people who know what I’m talking about, this is for you. Thank you so much to my family, especially my mother and late father. Thank you to everyone who has ever shown my work, be it in art galleries like Antonio Castiglione’s Espinasse31 or Jason Perez in Miami and New York, whom I’ve been showing with for many years. Thank you to the great state of Florida and the magical city of Miami Beach for being my home where I feel welcomed and loved. Most importantly, thank you to probably the world’s best teacher Mr Christopher Fox and the late, great, “Doc” Peter Kinney, of the Haverford School in Pennsylvania for starting me on this magical journey 20+ years ago. And special thank you to all the organizations that have rejected my work because of who and what I am — nobody makes me work harder than you do.

Website: www.abstract.miami

Instagram: @abstractmiami

Image Credits
The two portraits of me in the denim jacket are credited to Leyla Sharabi